Vengence
by Free2BMe
Summary: Sequel to "New World, New Rules, New Game" (Read that first!) Jordan's apprentice comes back to finish what his master started. Flames are welcome but constructive criticism gets the best room.
1. Sunborn

Author's Note: Sequel!!!! You need to read my other fic before you read this one. From what I hear, it's pretty good (I blame my reviewers, they inflated my ego!) Anyway, here we go. Oh! And I looked up Sunborn from "Cold Fire". I don't know if they actually exchange gifts in it, but if they don't then they do now.

Disclaimer: I don't own any characters from Tamora Pierce books, (Briar, Sandry, Tris, Daja, Evvy, Pasco, Rosethorn, Lark, Frostpine, Niko, Duke Vedris) I do own the plot and any other characters. Especially Dan, Elizabeth, and Adam. They're MINE!

"Happy Sunborn!" Sandry piped as she handed out her gifts. She had made everyone an outfit, tailored to fit perfectly on each of their bodies. When she handed Elizabeth hers she said, "I know you don't like dresses, but I think you'd look stunning in this." Elizabeth unfolded the garment to reveal a deep blue dress, embroidered with silver colored silk. She gasped. "It's beautiful."

"I'm glad you like it." She said, "Because you'll need something nice to wear when you come to my Uncle's ball. All of you will." Indeed, Miss Fa Toren had sewn all of her friends formal outfits as her Sunborn gift to them. Tris's face lit up.

"A ball?" She asked. Sandry beamed at her friend.

"Yes. A ball. And Uncle asked that I invite you all." Adam looked at Tris and winked. The happy expression was replaced with one of agony. _Great, _she thought,_ another chance for him to "woo" me. When will he give it a rest?_

Daja and Briar exchanged glances with each other, neither of them too keen on the idea of dancing with strangers to the sounds violins and flutes. "We'll talk later Saati." Daja told her, expressing her distaste for this "ball" of hers. Evvy handed out her gift next. Jeweled accessories to go with Sandry's clothes. Briar glared at her.

"Skirts." He scoffed, "Always teaming up on the poor, unsuspecting fools." Briar gave everyone a Shakkan tree. (A/N: Has he done this before? If he has, pretend he hasn't) Daja had made them all pendants with symbols on them. She had cleverly gotten them to admit attributes that they all had wanted to have in an innocent conversation. This had been particularly hard to do with Briar, who seemed to think he was perfect. _Honestly,_ thought Daja, _that boy could rival Frostpine in an ego contest. _But once she did have them all, she forged the symbols for those attributes into silver pendants.

Adam was the only student who hadn't used magic in his presents. Unable to think of a creative way to use his magic in a gift, he had instead resorted back to his first love: painting. He had painted a different landscape for each of his friends.

"Where have you been hiding all this talent?" Elizabeth asked as she received hers. Adam gave her a glare at the slight. (You know, she's implying that he seemed talent-less) She just laughed.

"For your information," He said, "I've been painting ever since I was three. My mother was a painter." When he had handed out all of his gifts, it was Tris's turn. She, like Daja, had made them all pendants. Hers were made of crystal and glowed softly.

"They amplify and store power." She told her friends. "It's kind of like having your lump of string with you all the time." Tris was referring to the circle of thread that held power for her, Sandry, Daja, and Briar.

After Tris was done, it was Dan and Elizabeth's turn. They had both collaborated on their gift and were excited to show it to their friends. "Come on." Dan said, "Follow us." The two fifteen year olds led the others outside. They made everyone kneel on the grass at the far side of the yard behind the cottage. Dan waved his hand over the grass. It wavered, and turned into water. "Niko did it." He explained. Niko specialized in illusionary magic.

"Okay," Elizabeth began, beaming, "here's the deal: You each get to ask one question of the water. It can be anything you want, as long as it's answerable. No asking 'What came first, the chicken or the egg?' Your question, and your answer, will be totally private unless you decide to share them. Oh, and you have to ask with your magic. You can't just say it out loud."

Each person closed their eyes, trying to think of their question. Then, one by one, they looked into the water and one by one they got up. Each of their expressions were unreadable, but they all agreed that the gift was cool.

A/N: Yeah, okay, there was no point to this chapter. I had to start somewhere though. Don't worry, something(s) is/are going to happen at the ball. (Sorry Daja! You have to go!) I'm currently working on conflicts for this story. Suggestions/ideas are always helpful and welcome. So if you're brains are less empty than mine, I'd love to hear what you have to say. I'll probably use it. Till next time people!


	2. The Ball

Author's Note: Hi everyone! I've decided to adopt a multiple personality. (I blame cytosine and Eve Eastborne. They got the idea into my head.) After a long hard search at all the stores, I finally found one who's PERFECT. And I got it half off cause it was in the slightly irregular bin! *Jumps up and down with a party hat on, blowing one of those annoying noise makers that makes the paper curl in and out* I noticed that everyone's multiple personalities were the same gender as they were, so I decided to break the trend and get a guy. *Trumpets begin to play the music they play when the King is coming behind them* Meet…JOE!!!

Joe: Hi!!! I'm Joe! *Free2BMe whispers to him that she already told them that* What?! Why did you tell them that?! Now they're going to get me!

Free2BMe: Dude, you told them your name too.

Joe: Don't try to pin this on me!

Free2Bme: Sorry folks, he's still adjusting. Why don't you just read my story while I try to calm him down. *Narrows eyes at Joe who is swinging a sword around his head and screaming*

All the girls were sitting in Sandry's room at Duke's Citadel. She had promised to help them all get ready for the ball. Right now she was in the process of putting orange jewels into Daja's very long braids (she would tie the braids with a ribbon at the base of her neck after). The jewels were exactly the same color as the dark orange in her gown. Daja's gown was made with two different shades of orange. The top was a light orange that had sleeves that were straight at the upper arms, but belled out at the elbows. The skirt was a dark orange material almost all the way around. In the middle, however, there was a triangle of material (the same material as on the top of her dress) whose point was at her waist and it widened until it reached the bottom. Daja had a pendant with a large orange jewel in the middle and smaller diamonds around it and a matching bracelet. She had refused to let Sandry paint her face. "You'll pay for this Saati." Daja warned as Sandry finished her. Sandry just smiled.

"Come on, Daja. You know you like it. Just a little bit?" Daja sighed.

"Okay. Maybe…just a little." Sandry laughed.

"See? I knew you'd warm up to it once you saw how beautiful you look." Sandry said confidently.

"Yeah, well, don't think it will become a regular thing…but I guess it's not so bad to look…feminine…sometimes." Daja admitted grudgingly. "But if you ever tell anyone about this, you'll meet the end of my staff." Sandry laughed again.

Elizabeth stood, admiring herself in a full-length mirror. She was dressed in her dark blue dress whose color brought out her eyes. Sandry had curled her hair and left it down to frame her face, making it look more round. Her eyes were painted a dark charcoal and she had a deep red lip-paint. Her jewelry was made of diamonds. She had a diamond bracelet and diamond ear drops. She had decided not to wear her diamond necklace, and instead was wearing the silver pendant Daja had made her. Its symbol was one of strength. The strength that she desired was mental, though, not physical. After what had happened in the past few months, she figured that they could all use a little strength.

Tris was dressed in a purple gown that accented her bust. Sandry had braided her hair in a single braid down her back. The simpleness (A/N: If you can't read that, break it up: simple ness, simple-ness, simpleness. Got it?) of the braid made her look all the more beautiful. Tris's necklace and bracelet were made of pearls. Tris, too, couldn't stop admiring herself in the mirror. Sandry had painted her lips the same dark red as Elizabeth's and painted her eyes an earthy brown before she declared Tris done. Tris had been in front of the mirror ever since.

Even Evvy was wearing an elegant gown. Hers was a deep red that looked beautiful against the ebony of her hair. Sandry had done her hair up in an ornate bun and she wore gold jewelry. She did, however, have red rubies in her hair. _Sandry can do anything with hair!_ Evvy thought enviously. Sandry had finished her off with charcoal eye-paint, a touch of rouge, and the same deep red lip-color she had used on Tris and Elizabeth.

Sandry herself was wearing a white gown with royal blue accents and was wearing sapphire jewels in her hair. The same sapphires could be seen on her bracelet. She, too, wore the pendant Daja had given her, but in accompaniment with her jeweled one. Her eyes were painted charcoal and she had a lighter red lip-paint than the one she had used on the others.

"Ready?" She asked when she had finished with Daja. The girls looked at each other and laughed joyfully. This was going to be fun.

Music filled the ballroom as the girls descended the grand staircase. The room was already filled with guests. As soon as Sandry stepped onto the floor, she was swept away by a gallant young man. Literally. The other girls giggled as they watched their ambushed friend struggle to be polite to this suitor who had so rudely begun to dance with her without even asking her permission. Tris, Daja, Evvy, and Elizabeth walked together until they all heard Daja gasp. "What is Kirel doing here?" She heard a giggle in her mind. Daja's eyes narrowed. **_Sandry!_** She mind-yelled to her friend. Sandry broke out into open laughter, causing a confused look from her partner. Realizing it, she tried to stifle her laughter. **_I'm sorry Daja,_** Sandry mind-spoke back,**_ but this is a ball. It's only right that you dance with your knight in shining armor._** Daja turned crimson.

**__**

He is not my "knight in shining armor" Sandry! And besides, he won't- by then Kirel had noticed Daja. He looked at her nervously.

"Would you like to dance?" He asked her, kind of awkwardly. Daja stared for a moment, shocked to silence. **_–dance with me_**, she finished her sentence to Sandry.

**__**

Well, answer him! Sandry prodded her. Unable to find her voice just then, Daja nodded. Tris, Evvy, and Elizabeth watched as she, too, was swept away. Much nicer than Sandry had been. One by one, men claimed the other girls. Elizabeth by Dan and Evvy by Pasco. (A/N: Pasco is a dance mage. I couldn't leave him out of a ball. That would be cruel and unusual punishment.) When it was only Tris left, Adam approached her. He bowed deeply before asking, "May I have this dance?" Tris hesitated. **_Oh, come on._** Elizabeth, who had been watching, encouraged her, **_You know he won't leave you be if you don't._** Tris sighed, but obliged him. Adam was shocked.

"Well?" Tris demanded impatiently, "Are we going to dance or not?" Snapping back into reality, Adam smiled and took her hand.

"Ah." He sighed, "I see you have finally succumbed to my charm."

"Don't count on it." Tris shot back. Adam smiled at her.

"Come come now, it's obvious how much you feel for me. You're practically writhing with passion." Tris laughed, and not with him.

"The only reason I would "writhe" while I'm with you, is in agony." Adam sadly shook his head.

"Still pretending I see. You don't have to be afraid. I don't bite…unless you want me to." Tris almost pushed him down right then. Biting back her anger she said, as politely as she could manage,

"I'm sorry, Adam. I've just remembered, I have to go drown myself. I would love to continue this agonizing dance and even more painful conversation with you, but I really must put myself out of my misery." With that, she disengaged herself from his grip and walked over to a chair to sit down.

Adam smiled to himself. "I love it when they play hard to get."

Tris was fuming. That boy could be so annoying!

"Would you like to dance?" An unfamiliar voice asked her. Tris looked up into the eyes of the most beautiful man she had ever seen. He had soft, ebony hair and a brown tan. His bright green eyes were looking at her hopefully as she reached out to take his offered hand. The stranger wore a white shirt under a black tunic and Tris could see powerful muscles framed by the white material of the shirt. She could spent forever in his firm, sure grip, and he danced with a cat-like grace.

Tris spent the night, talking and dancing with this beautiful stranger. When the party finally came to an end, she realized she had never asked his name. "Excuse me, sir," She said as he began to leave, "but I don't believe I know you're name." He laughed, showing rows of straight, white teeth. 

"Darien." He said, "And yours?" Tris smiled back, 

"Trisana, but my friends call me Tris."

"And," Darien asked, "may I, too, call you Tris?"

"I would be insulted if you didn't." She replied, still smiling.

"Well then, Tris, I hope to see you again sometime." He told her. And before she knew what was happening, she found his lips against hers. Just as soon, he turned and was gone.

Author's Note: Ooooh. A dark mysterious stranger!!! He's important. I tried to get Tris to like Adam, but you know how she is. You can't make her do anything she's set against. Well, maybe later.

Joe: *making puppy-dog eyes* Pleeeeaaaase let me out of the straight jacket? I promise I won't try to kill you again.

Free2BMe: *Can't resist the eyes* Okay. *lets him out*

Joe: YAY!!! So…ummm…where did you hide the sword again?

Free2BMe: Oh, no! I'm not falling for that one again! But if you're very good, maybe I'll get you a tazer for your birthday.

Joe: *Looks hopeful* Really? Okay. I'll be…I'll be…*cringes as he tries to say the word* good. *Runs to the bathroom to brush his teeth 5,000 times*

Free2BMe: Anyway, REVIEW! Please?


	3. The Mysterious Stranger Becomes Even Mor...

(Long) Author's Note: Another chapter!

Joe: Run! Run while you still can!

Free2BMe: *ignoring him* More with Darien here. I haven't decided whether to make him good or evil yet. What do you guys think? *Joe holds up card in the background that says "Vote Evil!" and is waving it around wildly* As you may be able to tell, I have a hard time making cute guys evil. *coughADAMcough* 

Joe: *rolling his eyes at Free2BMe's pathetic obsession with cute guys* You're pathetic. Evil is FUN! Why are you depriving the boy of good fun? Besides, I think your story could use some deceit, betrayal, and heartbreak. It's too cutesy.

Free2BMe: What's wrong with cutesy? I just like happy stuff.

Joe: *mutters under breath* prep.

Free2Bme: *throws hidden dagger at his head* Never do that again. I am NOT a prep. I'm just not obsessed with sadness and pain. I'm me, an original. Deal with it.

Joe: You are SUCH a prep.

Free2Bme: *grabs her axe* I'll have you know, I am NOT A PREP. And I hope you're ready to defend that statement with your life.

Joe: Umm, I'm you're Multiple Personality I'm inside you. If you kill me, you kill yourself too. And since you're not obsessed with sadness and pain, I'm guessing you don't like suicide either. *mutters something about her being a kill-joy*

Free2Bme: Oh. In that case, no tazer for you. I'll keep it.

Joe: *Falls to his knees* NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Alright Tris, this is quite enough. Will you tell me who it is already?" Tris looked at Sandry, who was looking back at her expectantly.

"Who who is?" Sandry rolled her eyes at her friend.

"Whoever the guy is that's got you under his spell. You didn't think you could hide it from me did you?" She asked, smiling. Suddenly she gasped as an idea hit her, "Is it Adam?" Tris looked at her, horrified.

"Ugh! Sandry, no! Please, give me some credit." Sandry wanted to say that maybe she should go for Adam, but kept her mouth shut about it.

"Well, then, who is it? I know there's someone." She said. Tris smiled involuntarily.

"Darien. I met him at the ball last night. He's gorgeous! Not to mention charming, an amazing dancer-"

"Wait." Sandry said, a confused expression on her face. "Did you say Darien?" Tris nodded. "And you met him at Uncle's ball?" She nodded again. "But…but there shouldn't have been anyone named Darien there. I must have gone over the guest list a hundred times, and there wasn't a Darien on it." Tris's smile faltered. How could that be? Anyone who was going into the ball would have had to get through the guards, no matter which way they entered. If they weren't on the list, they wouldn't be allowed in.

"Well, I don't know how it happened, but he sounds wonderful. I'm not sure how he got in, but I suppose I'm glad he did." Sandry said with a determined smile. Tris smiled back, slightly reassured. Slightly.

Meanwhile

A man was sitting at his fire, thinking. _I know that I can do this. Jordan was foolish. His pride always was his undoing. He underestimated them all. I, however, will not make his mistake. Mother always said "Learn from the mistakes of others, you won't live long enough to make them all yourself". Too bad Jordan didn't heed that, or he would have acknowledged that these weren't your average people. Damn it! He knew that they were strong! Why did he insist he was stronger? It's not about strength, it's about strategy. And while I can't match their strength, strategy I have. Everyone has heard the metaphor. While a twig is weak and easy to snap, many twigs tied together are virtually unbreakable. Sandry, Briar, Tris, Daja, Evvy, Elizabeth, Adam, and Dan are the twigs tied together…or should I say spun together? But I plan to untie them. Divide, and conquer._

Author's Note: Short, I know. But I'm thinking of a conflict. I have a dozen half-baked ones that I need to develop. Give me a few days. Unless any of you have ideas? If you do, review or E-Mail them to me. My E-Mail address is KTK3C@aol.com

Joe: Hey, fan-mail is always good too. I'm 15, enjoy long walks and long talks, death, blood, gore, sadness, betrayal-

Free2BMe: Dude, I am SO not letting you date anyone in my body! Well, unless they're a guy and really cute.

Joe: Ignore her. We just let her out of the closet, she's a little feisty.

Free2BMe: *grabs tazer and zaps Joe* There, some piece and quiet. Since I didn't thank anyone in the first part (it just got too long…I get carried away) I'll do it now.

Erin: I'm glad you liked my other story, and I hope you like this one (long and drawn out as it's been)

Eve Eastborne: That was the funniest review ever! Joe's not paranoid anymore, just annoying. That's why I have sharp objects, a tazer, and extra-strength straight-jackets close at hand. And, yeah, I think you did know who the stranger was, but then I was hit with an idea that could make him work as a good-guy too and so I've been hit with a dilemma.


	4. Elements to theummwhat's the opposite of...

Author's Note: Hey! I'm back! This chapter might be a little weird, but I swear I'm going somewhere with it. I thought of the coolest scene the other night, but I can't use it yet. I have to wait until the "almost end", which sucks because I reallywant to use itnow. Anyway, I decided whether Darien will be good or bad (it has to do with my ultra-cool scene) but I'm not going to tell you which. *sticks her tongue out*

Joe: *smiling* I think it's my influence on her. I just love secrecy and painful anticipation that drives you mad. Of course, this is her story, so it can't be all that painful, since it sucks.

Free2BMe: He's just mad because I didn't tell him either.

Briar walked through the woods, taking in the scenery. He loved it here. The trees, the grass, the…everything. So many green things, so many growing things, it was beautiful. He walked slowly, carefully, trying to greet as many plants, trees, bushes, shrubs, etc. as he could. _Briar…Briar…Briar…_ Briar stopped and listened. He began to navigate toward where he felt a pull on his magic. He stopped again in front of a patch of weeds. _Briiiaaar…_ they whispered to him.

__

What? He answered. (A/N: My, that sounds dull compared to the mysterious(ish) whisper from the plant)

__

We've got something to show you. Come. Look. Briar stepped into the center of the weeds. There, on the ground was a large emerald. He gasped, his thief impulses kicking in. His fingers itched to pick it up and look it over. Though it had been years since he had wanted to steal anything, he could still appreciate the beauty of a lovely jewel. Briar bent to pick it up. _Wait a minute,_ he thought, _I'm bending down, I'm reaching towards the jewel…why am I not picking it up?_ Briar looked at his arms. The weeds were holding them tightly and refusing them to move further. _Let go._ Briar ordered. But instead of letting go, the plants began to move further up his arms. _Let go! _Briar ordered again, firmly. The plants only began to move faster, more desperately, binding his arms to his sides and reaching around his legs to do the same. Before Briar could do anything, a vine dropped down onto his shoulder and wrapped around his neck. No matter how firmly Briar ordered, or how much he coaxed the plants to release him, they only resisted him more fiercely each time. When the vine had completely cut off Briar's air supply, he got desperate. Having enough sense not to tear himself from the plants, thus killing them, he sent a wave of raw power at them. They immediately shrank back. Briar rubbed his neck and quickly stepped away from the crazed plants. Looking down, Briar saw that the Emerald he had been seeking in the first place was gone.

REWIND…AT THE SAME TIME AS PLANTS ARE ATTEMPTING TO MURDER BRIAR, DAJA IS IN THE FORGE…

Daja pumped air into the fire, getting it to the right heat. With the last pump of air, the flames jumped from the fireplace and grabbed onto her. The flames crept up her arms, sending tendrils climbing up her neck and down her legs. Her clothes caught fire. Daja, who had been startled into a shocked paralysis at first, leapt into action. She was alone in the forge, so it was up to her to put out the flames. She ordered them away firmly. Instead of stopping, the flames burned with renewed fervor. Her clothes were only ashes now and she battled naked, grateful she had closed the forge door. She hadn't planned on working with a terribly hot fire that day, but she noticed that the more she ordered the flames down, the hotter and more furious they got. When she could feel the heat radiating off of them, she got scared. This had never happened before. Daja did the magical equivalent of screaming at them to back down and, true to their pattern, they burned hotter. _Ow! Okay, that's it._ Daja gathered her magic inside of her and pictured it as a bucket of light. She poured it over the flames, visualizing it dousing them as if it were water. The flames wavered and shrank back into the forge. Giving a quick glance at the fire, she went upstairs to put more clothes on.

Tris walked down the path to the hub. She was hungry and Dedicate Gorse was always more than ready to supply snacks to get one through the day. As she walked, she hummed to herself and daydreamed about Darien. She was so consumed in such a daydream that she didn't notice the other person on the path, who also didn't notice her. As a result, the two bumped into each other. "Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't see-" Tris stopped short as she looked at the person she had bumped into. Two smiling green eyes looked back at her.

"No, no. The error is mine, fair maiden." Darien said as knelt and kissed her hand. "Please allow me to make it up to you." Tris smiled sweetly.

"And just how do you plan on doing that?" She asked him as he stood. He leaned down and met her smiling lips with his own. Tris deepened the kiss. When they finally came up for air, Darien swept Tris off her feet and into his strong arms. She giggled. _Ugh!_ She thought, disgustedly, _I sound like a lovesick schoolgirl!_ But in truth, Tris didn't care what she sounded like. She was in Darien's arms, and that's all that mattered. He carried her off and they rendezvoused through the afternoon. 

A/N: First of all, yes, I know what a rendezvous is and yeah, I know it sounds weird there. But I think it also fits in a weird way. Anyway, I figured we needed a break from potential murders, so I tried to throw in some fluff. I'm not very good at writing it, but I think it came out okay.

Eve Eastborne: I just read your review, and those are all very good points. I wonder if I'm using any of them… (Let's just pretend that last statement wasn't a pathetic attempt to inspire curiosity at what may turn out to be a very predictable plot, okay?)


	5. The Chosen

Thanx: Eve Eastborne: George? Shouldn't fire be named something more edgy?

A/N: Hey! I'm back! Hope you liked my last chapter, cuz it's time to suffer through another one. I'd also like to say-on a totally and completely unrelated subject-that skater-boys RULE!

Joe: Steve doesn't like you.

Me (spelling it all out is too involved): Shut-up or I'll lock you in the closet again.

__

Dear Journal,

I shall now continue to chronicle my progress in the destruction of "The Chosen". I have tested two of them-there is no need to test any more, as they all have the same amount of power-and they have passed with flying colors. Damn. Well, at least I am prepared now. I cannot overpower them by magic alone even if I combine it with the magic of others, for their magic is strange. Another thing that my predecessor failed to realize. I seem to be surpassing him on all accounts. I now know what I need to do to win, and I won't fail.

"You guys won't believe what happened to me today" Daja and Briar chorused. They looked at each other and smiled. "You go first." Daja said. They were sitting around the table at Discipline, eating their midday.

"I was walking through the woods," Briar started, "I've done it a million times before, and it's always been the same. But this time, some of the plants started calling me by name. I found them and they wanted to show me something. It was an emerald-and a beautiful one at that-but when I went to pick it up, the plant stopped me. To make a long story short, it basically bound me so I couldn't move while a vine wrapped itself around my neck to strangle me."

"Hey!" Daja said, "That's what happened to me too, except with fire. It jumped out of the forge and tried to burn me. It actually got hotter every time I tried to make it go back." Everyone stared at them in a shocked silence.

"What do you think it was?" Adam asked them.

"I don't know," Daja answered, "but I know it wasn't normal. It was almost like when I made that living-metal-tree, but my power hasn't got away from me like that in years. Besides," she added as an afterthought, "it didn't feel like my power." She looked at Briar for conformation. He shook his head in agreement. There was another long silence. Then Dan sighed.

"And I thought we'd have a break from all this stuff." Rosethorn looked at him and gave a rueful laugh.

"Not if you insist on hanging around with these jabobers." (A/N: jabober is a word my old history teacher used to talk about our class "trouble-makers". I couldn't think of a fitting insult, so I used that.) She said, jerking a thumb at Briar and Daja to indicate that she meant the Circle kids.

"May I be excused?" Elizabeth asked, "Suddenly, I'm not very hungry." She got up and disposed of her leftover food. Dan started to follow suit, but Lark stopped him.

"Leave her alone, honey. I think she needs to deal with this by herself."

Elizabeth went into her room and sat down on her bed. She sighed and looked wistfully out her window. She wished she was Tris so she could ride the winds and get away. Or maybe Adam, then she could turn into a bird, or a squirrel, or some other animal. All she wanted right now was to run away. Run away and never look back. She pictured herself running down the path, faster and faster, until finally she left the ground and was soaring among the clouds, getting farther and farther away from Winding Circle and everything in it. Elizabeth shook her head. No, she could never do that. No matter what happened here, she loved her friends too much to ever leave them. Elizabeth felt something inside her change with that realization. Something in her hardened, and she was resolute. She knew now that she would defend them to the death. She was ready for whatever was coming her way, she'd meet it head on and destroy it. _Well, at least I'll try._

A/N: Okay, here we go. I think this is going to be a really short fic. I can't seem to find any minor plot conflicts to throw in. That means I'm just gunnah have to wrap it up. If you have any ideas to save me from such a fate, throw them at me, hurl them at me, shoot them at me with machine guns for all I care! If not, I have to end it sooner than I'd like to. *Joe begins to celebrate before I shove him in the closet and lock the door. You can hear indistinguishable shouts and grumbles from inside the door*


	6. The Other Side of the Coin

Eve Eastborne: Have I mentioned what a wonderful, perfect, life-saving, genius you are? Your idea is perfect!!! And it'll fit right in with the scene I was going to do! You must be my muse or something.

Joe: *to alice* Hey baby! What's up? Hey, got any plans for Friday night? Say around, 7:00?

Me: Hey! Are you making a date in my body?!

Joe: It's my body too!

Me: It was mine first! And besides, how are you going to meet alice? Ever think of that? *smiles smugly*

Joe: *mischievous smile* I'll find a way…

Me: alice? RUN! RUN WHILE YOU HAVE A CHANCE!

WARNING: The point of view changes A LOT in this chapter!!! There is also a lot of cussing and derogatory name-calling.

Tris walked down the path. She wasn't really going anywhere, she just felt like walking. She closed her eyes and breathed in the fresh air. And bumped into someone. _Why must I keep doing this?_ She chastised herself.

"We have really got to stop meeting like this." Came an all too familiar voice. Tris would have known that voice in her dreams (in fact, she had known that voice in her dreams).

"Darien!" She said, looking up into his deeply tanned face and bright green eyes. He smiled broadly at her.

"Tris." He breathed and held her close to him. _Mmmmm…_ she thought, _he smells nice._ Again she couldn't help but marvel at how well she fit in his arms, as if he was made for the sole purpose of holding her. "I've got something to show you." He whispered into her ear. She nodded, though reluctant to move out of his sure embrace. Darien smiled at her again before lacing his fingers with hers and leading her off.

"Where's Tris?" Adam asked.

Sandry smiled "You would be the first to notice." She said. Adam blushed. "Don't worry." She told him, "She'll be here." Adam sighed and looked out the window as he set the table. _If she's going to be here, she better be here soon_. He thought.

As it happened, Tris didn't come home in time for dinner. No one seemed too worried, though. Tris was Tris. She was a grown woman (not to mention a powerful mage) and could take care of herself.

"You know her," Briar said, "she probably just needed to get away. Tris isn't really a "people person"." Everyone chuckled, knowing full-well that this was true. Yes, everyone chuckled, everyone…even Adam. But though he was laughing outside, he was truly worried inside. He couldn't help it. He just didn't feel right about her not being there. He felt like something was wrong. _Come on, get over it. _He told himself,_ They know her better than you do._

"We're here." Darien told her.

"Where?" She asked. She had been walking backwards for about a half mile, allowing Darien to guide her. He told her that he wanted it to be a surprise. _Whatever "it" is._ Tris thought

"Oh, no." He told her with his mischievous smile. "I'm not about to spoil it now." He backed her into an enclosed area. "We're going to stop here tonight. I'll show you tomorrow what I wanted to show you."

"Darien, it's pitch-black. Where are we?" Tris demanded, getting a little scared at the prospect of not being at home tonight. Darien put comforting arms around her.

"Shhhh." he told her, "It's okay, I'm here. No need to be fearful. Trust me. Now, lie down." She did as she was told. A moment later, he handed her a cup. "Drink this."

"Why?" She asked, suspicious. Again he gave her that grin that always managed to turn her knees to jelly.

"Come on. Just trust me." He told her. Reluctantly, she did. Her eyelids began to get heavy. "You…dru…druuuged…ma..ma..me" she said as she fought off sleep. He laughed.

"Just a little something to help you…say…shut down. Now, sleep." He enfolded her in his arms once more, and she forgot everything as she concentrated on that.

Adam woke up the next morning. _Tris isn't here_. He thought. He knew that for a fact. No, Adam hadn't checked. He hadn't even gotten out of bed, to be honest, but he knew. There was an emptiness in his heart that was only filled when Tris was there. Whenever she lashed out at him in anger, whenever she left him in a huff, that part of him left too, leaving him empty and cold. And wanting to cry. He tried not to let on, and so usually added a sarcastic comment or two about her "playing hard-to-get", or something like that, at the end of one of their "spats". It was all for appearances sake. The truth was, Adam wanted her-possibly needed her-with his entire being. He positively ached for her. _Shut-up._ Adam ordered himself as tears tried to force themselves from his eyes. _Stop it. Don't you dare cry, or I'll kick your ass myself._ It didn't matter that he was threatening himself, it helped stop the tears and soon he was able to get up and pretend like he was okay._ Honestly, I should be an actor._

_What? Where the hell am I? _Those were the first thoughts that crossed Tris's dream-fogged mind as she gazed at her stone surroundings the next day. _AND WHAT THE FUCK AM I DOING IN SHACKLES?!?!?!_ She added frantically.

"Ah! You're awake!" Tris heard Darien say. She looked around for a moment before her gaze found him.

"Darien! Thank the gods! What happened? Get me out of here!" She said, relieved that he was here so he could help her. However, her pleas were greeted with a malicious laugh.

"Why in the world would I let you out, if I'm the one who locked you up?" He asked her. Tris looked at him in confusion.

"What?" She asked. His smile was now gone.

"I knew you were gullible; I mean, getting you to fall for me was all too easy. Of course, that could be because you're also desperate." He added as an afterthought, "I knew as well that you were an ugly whore and quite the little bitch, but are you deaf as well? Because that I did not know. I said that I locked you up." He told her, slowing down the last four words as if he were telling them to a particularly slow child.

Tris couldn't believe it. This man, this beautiful man, had tricked her. He had made her fall madly in love with him, and used her feelings to exploit her. She was getting angrier by the minute. Tris gathered a gust of wind to knock him on his arrogant ass, and hurled it at him with all her might. Darien deflected it. He walked over to her easily and smiled in her face, then slapped her. The force of his blow made Tris's head snap to the side, only to be met by the rock wall behind her.

"You're a tricky little bitch, aren't you?" Darien asked her. He took her chin in his hand and forced her to look at him. Tris wanted to throw-up rather than see his face, but forced herself to meet his gaze anyway. "I wouldn't try anything else if I were you." He warned her, "You don't honestly think I'd have brought you here if I couldn't defend myself against you, do you?" Tris contemplated spitting in his face but quickly discarded the thought, as Darien would never let her get away with it and she didn't desire a true beating. As Tris continued to look around the cavern, she became aware that she had been there before.

__

Oh, gods…no…it's not…I mean, it can't be… but it was. Tris was standing in the very same place, indeed was shackled to the same wall with the same chains, that they had found Elizabeth bound to months ago. Tris was frantic. She tried to send a message to the others through their mind connection, but she couldn't. She was half mad with fright. What would he do to her now that she had no way to leave and no one would come for her?

"What did you do?!" She cried. Darien laughed again.

"You mean your little mind connection? Why, I shut it down."

__

Just a little something to help you…say…shut down

"The drink." Tris said, "That drink you gave me. It was to cut off my connection to them!"

"So, we're finally putting the pieces together." Darien said, sounding bored.

"What are you going to do?" Tris asked him.

"My, my, my, I didn't know the little bitch had a head full of questions. But if you must know," He answered her, "I'm going to kill you. But first, I'm going to kill your friends. And you're going to watch them die. And you know what the best part is?" He asked her, smiling evily, "You're going to help me kill them."

"Like hell I am." She spat back. He just laughed again.

"Again, you're idiocy surprises me. Don't you see? You won't have any choice in the matter. I'm going to drain you of your powers, and then I'm going to use them to kill your friends, and eventually you" He smiled again, but this one was genuinely cheerful. Tris sat quietly, waiting for the shock to wear off and the terror to take over.

Author's Note: I have more to write, but this was getting very long.

Joe: *snore*

Me: *pointing to the sleeping Joe* I give you: exhibit A. Anyways, I'll give more next time. I didn't use mean words cuz I hate Tris (I love Tris!!!) I used them cuz Darien is supposed to be a major bastard.


	7. Magic Come, Magic Go

Eve of Mirkwood: AHHHH!!!! THE NAME! OH GODS THE NAME!!!!! IT…KEEPS…CHANGING!!!!!!!! Okay, now that I have that out of my system, I should probably clear up any discrepancy (discrepancy: 2pt. Vocab word). I love the new name!

Warning: More cussing and point of view changes.

"NOOO!!!" Adam woke up screaming and in a cold sweat. His heart was practically tearing from his chest. His brain scrambled to recall the nightmare he'd just had. He had been standing in the dark. He couldn't speak. Couldn't move. It was pitch-black. Then, there was a pinpoint of light. It grew until he could make out a form. It was Tris. He tried to call out to her, but he couldn't. He watched as a gray silhouette formed in front of her. She opened her mouth in a noiseless scream as Adam watched a ball of electricity grow in the hand of the silhouette. Tris was struggling against chains that were binding her to some sort of wall. Then the lightning ball launched itself at her and hit her in the chest. This was when he'd woken up. _I have to go._ He thought. _I have to find her. _Adam rushed to put on his clothes and headed down stairs. He was about to open the door when he heard a voice.

"Not so fast."

Adam turned to face Briar. He gave him a questioning look and the former thief smiled at him.

"I sleep light and let's just say that you don't wake light." He said. "So spill it." Adam sighed. There was no way to weasel his way out of this one, not that he wanted to. Adam pulled up a chair and told Briar about his dream. He left out the part about the fact that he seemed to know how Tris was by instinct alone, and his instincts were telling him she was in danger.

"It was just a dream." Briar said. Adam closed his eyes and counted backwards from five.

"She's in trouble Briar. I know it." He said. Briar looked like he wanted to tell him there was no way he could know it, but he seemed to think better of it. Instead, he closed his eyes and concentrated on something. His eyes opened and he regarded Adam with a peculiar expression.

"My mind link to her is blocked." He finally said. Adam's heart was seized with fear. Some part of him had wanted to believe that perhaps he was wrong, and hearing Briar say this abolished that hope. Not to mention that he was embarrassed at not having thought of checking their mind-link. He still wasn't quite used to using it. "Look," Briar said, pulling Adam back into the present, "that doesn't necessarily mean anything." He paused and looked thoughtful for a moment, "But I think we should check it out anyway." Adam jumped up but Briar held up his hand to stop him. "By "we" I meant all of us. Sit down and calm down. I'll be back in a minute and you can help me fill them in."

Tris sat still as tears trailed hot tracks down her cheeks. She had kept them at bay as long as she could, not wanting to give Darien the satisfaction of seeing her cry, but she couldn't hold them in any longer. She didn't cry out, she couldn't seem to find her voice anyway, but the tears fell down as forcefully as if she were shaking with loud sobs.

"And so the Ice Queen thaws." Darien said in a cold voice. He walked over to her and stroked her cheek gently with his hand as she flinched at his touch. "You're beautiful when you're broken." He told her softly. He pressed his hungry lips against hers for a long moment, forcing Tris back into the wall. Pulling away, Darien regarded her with a new disgust in his eyes before slapping her as forcefully as he could. Tris's head hit the wall again and ricocheted off of it to hit the other side. It dropped down on her chest limply. Darien watched as blood began to seep out of the new wounds in her skull. He smiled maliciously at her unconscious form before going for bandages. He wasn't about to let her die yet.

Adam led the way, letting his intuition guide him. He was filled with a mixture of fear, worry, and anxiety. He kept up a silent prayer to the gods for her safety. _We'd better find her._ He thought. Behind him followed Elizabeth, Dan, Daja, Evvy, and Briar. Sandry was at Duke's Citadel and Adam had told him they didn't have time to get her. As he walked through the woods he felt that they were vaguely familiar.

Tris woke up and was greeted by Darien's voice.

"It's about time. I've been waiting for you." He told her. She looked around. The floor was covered in foreign symbols and runes. In the center of the room, Darien was standing. "Say goodbye to your magic. It's going to be mine soon." Darien closed his eyes and began a low chant. Tris didn't recognize the words, but they made her skin crawl. Soon, she felt something inside of her being tugged at. She felt her magic leave her, going to Darien. _NOO!!!_ She thought, _Stop! Get BACK!!! _Try as she might, she couldn't stop it. She felt like a part of her was being ripped away. He may as well have been taking an arm or leg, for her magic was as much a part of her as her limbs. Her magic, which was being sucked out of her slowly but surely. When it was over she slumped against the wall, feeling drained. "Oh, come, come." Darien said, "You don't want to sleep now! The fun is just beginning. Why don't we have some fun with your, what did you call them? Friends?" He waved his hand and the air wavered and a picture formed. It was Adam, and Briar, and Evvy, and Daja, and Dan, and Elizabeth. They were walking in the dark. "Hmmm…" Darien said, seemingly lost in thought, "I wonder how far your powers reach." He turned and smiled at her, "Let's see, shall we?" He closed his eyes and Tris watched in horror as she saw a lightning bolt flash in the picture. It was headed straight for Adam, but seemed to swerve at the last second, and hit the ground instead. The grass caught fire and the flames spread to the bushes and trees.

"Ahhh!" Briar clutched his skull as he felt the pain of green things burning. The lightning had come out of nowhere and set fire to the section of the woods they were in. Elizabeth concentrated, willing the water hidden below the earth's surface to come up and douse the flames. It put out the grass fire easily, but it couldn't get to the treetops. Elizabeth shaped it into a column and thrust it up into the branches. After a minute, the fire was out.

"Briar, are you all right?" She asked him, concerned. He nodded, breathing deeply. He looked angry, hurt, and confused. "That was…it…it was Tris." He said.

__

No! Tris thought silently. _Briar, no! I would never! NEVER! Oh, please, Briar!_ Tris couldn't bear to see the hurt in his eyes."You!" She screamed at Darien, enraged. "You filthy bastard! How dare you! How fucking dare you! You dirty, rat-faced, son of a bitch!" He turned to face her, malice, anger, and an intense hatred reflected in his eyes. Tris was suddenly very afraid.

"No." Adam said, "It wasn't her." Briar looked him in the eye.

"Adam, I know her magic a lot better than you do, so trust me on this one. It was her."

"No." Adam said again, more forcefully this time. "It wasn't her. It was her magic, but not her." The others looked at him in confusion. "I felt it too. It was definitely Tris's magic, but it wasn't Tris. It was someone else. A different life-force was behind it than hers. And…" He paused, not sure how he could explain this next part, "it felt like Jordan's." Then it hit him. Jordan. This was the same place he had taken Elizabeth when Jordan wanted her. Adam broke into a run as he headed for the cave where he would bet his life Tris was being kept.

Tris pressed herself up against the wall, trying to get away from Darien. "You shouldn't have done that." He told her, his voice deathly low, "I was going to let you live a bit longer. Let your friends go first. But I see that you need a lesson in respect, and I make sure my lessons stick." Tris watched as a ball of lightning formed in his palm, growing in force and size. She began to shake with terror.

Adam ran into the small room that had held Elizabeth months ago. Tris was standing chained to the wall as a dark silhouette holding a ball of lightning stood in front of her. _NOOOOOO!!!!!!_ Adam thought, _Not again!!!!!! _The silhouette threw the ball at Tris.

Tris watched as the ball of electricity left Darien's palm, aimed for her heart. But then something happened, she saw a blur in front of her eyes and then the lightning ball was gone. In it's place was Adam's lifeless form.

Author's Note: Sorry, but I wanted to make this story dark. A death seemed fitting. And what's more classic than killing the character your readers started to love? But wait! Maybe I didn't kill him, I mean after all, I hate sadness right? How could a girl who's a sucker for happy endings kill a favorite character? But then again, I was being pretty mean to Tris, not at all in a "sunshine and flowers" mood, maybe I want you to think I'm tricking you but he really is dead.

Joe: We get it already! Shut-up!

Me: Right, okay. Review please.


	8. What Ever Happened to the Easy Way Out?

Tris stared in horror at Adam, lying still on the cold ground. She began to hyperventilate. _No. No. No. NO! This isn't happening. He's not…he's not…He's just NOT! No…Oh please no…_ Darien began to cackle. "Oh, this is just too perfect. Now I can kill you and be satisfied. You've watched at least one of your friends die right in front of you." He looked her in the eyes. "And you killed him. It's all your fault." _My fault…_Tris thought numbly,_ it's_ _all my fault_. "If you hadn't come with me, trusted me," He began laughing again, "loved me, then this wouldn't have happened. I wouldn't have gotten your powers, he wouldn't have died. Congratulations." Tris looked at him helplessly.

"Kill me." She whispered, "Now." Darien regarded her thoughtfully.

"No." He replied. "No, I think I'll let you live a little longer." Tears formed in Tris's eyes again.

"But…You can't do that. I can't live. I don't deserve to live. You can't do this!" She cried at him, helplessly. All of a sudden, the cave began to shake and pieces of the ceiling began to fall down. _Yes!_ Tris thought desperately, looking up at it, _Yes! Fall! Fall down!_ A big chunk fell and hit Darien in the head. He fell to ground and did not get up. The cave stilled. Evvy, Briar, Dan, Elizabeth, and Daja entered. Daja ran over to Tris as Dan and Elizabeth went to Adam. The chains released Tris and she watched Dan and Elizabeth anxiously, hoping they could save him. Elizabeth looked up again, tears in her eyes. She shook her head.

"He's gone." She said. Tris's heart hit the floor. She ran over to his body and threw herself on top of it.

"No. No. No. No." She kept repeating as sobs finally took her, racking her body as she let flow all of the emotion she had been keeping locked up for so long. "Noooooooo!" She wailed. She looked at his face, determination and love frozen in its features, and did the one thing she had wanted to do for months. She kissed him.

Adam gasped and his eyes flew open. (A/N: Come on, I couldn't kill him in the last story, did you really think I'd do it now?) He smiled. "I should get knocked unconscious more often." He said, "Every time I do there seems to be a girl over me when I wake up." (A/N: In the last book, Elizabeth was over him, remember?) Tris looked at him in surprise.

"But…" Elizabeth said, "You…you were dead." He looked at her in confusion, but Evvy spoke up before he could say anything.

"I don't know if you noticed, but we're once again in a cave at an ungodsly hour of the day. I think it's time we get back home. We can ponder over Adam's apparent rise from the dead there." They agreed. On the way home, Tris filled them all in on what had happened. Adam had a fixed frown on his face the whole time and fury burned in his eyes as he listened to Tris recount her ordeal at Darien's hands. _If he weren't already dead, I'd kill him._ He thought. When Tris got to the part where Adam saved her life, Elizabeth explained what happened while he was dead. Adam looked at Tris in surprise and shook his head. "I must have gone deaf." He said, "I thought I just heard Liz say Tris kissed me." Tris looked away, her face burning. Finally she forced herself to meet his eyes. She stuck out her chin stubbornly.

"So what if I did? It was very traumatic to watch you…to see what I saw. It must have caused me to go temporarily insane." But there was no vigor behind her words, and instead of stalking away from Adam she slung an arm around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder. Adam put his arm around Tris as well and hugged her tight to him in a comforting gesture.

"I just don't understand it!" Elizabeth had just finished telling Rosethorn and Lark about how Adam had come back to life. She had called her own teacher, Luna, over as well. Luna frowned.

"Neither do I. Once someone is dead, they're dead. There's nothing we can do to undo that." She looked at Rosethorn and Lark for help, "You two got any ideas?" Lark was silent for a moment.

"I think I might." She said. "I think it was Tris." Here, Elizabeth shook her head emphatically.

"It couldn't have been. Darien took her magic from her. That's how he killed Adam, with Tris's magic."

"Besides," Luna agreed, "Tris didn't have any healing magic whatsoever. Not that it should have mattered since we can't heal the dead." She added as an afterthought.

Lark shook her head. "There was one magic Tris had that no one would ever be able to take away. It's the most powerful magic in the world, and I believe it could have the ability heal the dead as well." She paused to look at them all. "Love." She said. "Tris must have put all of her love for Adam into that kiss. And it revived him." (A/N: Say it with me now: aaaaaaaaaawwwwwww!) A smile crept onto Elizabeth's face. Then she broke out into laughter.

"You better be the one to tell her that." She said once she had gotten herself under control. "And make sure to put everything sharp and heavy out of her reach beforehand."

Daja sat by the window of the forge. Kirel was next to her, waiting for her to tell him what was on her mind. He could always tell when she was upset, and when she needed to talk. He knew if he waited her out, she'd tell him what was up. She sighed and looked away from the window and into his face.

"Have you ever had a feeling in the pit of your stomach that something isn't right?" She asked him. "That something is horribly wrong?"

"Yes." He answered, "On the night of the pirate attack. I had an anxious feeling all day, sort of like I was waiting for a storm to break. I knew something was wrong, but I didn't know what." He searched her face for a moment. "Trust your instincts, Daja. They've never let you down before." She nodded and went back to work. _Though I can't say I don't want them to let you down now._ Kirel thought, watching her worried face before he, too, went back to work.

Adam went down to the seashore for a walk. Usually he chose the woods, as there were more animals there, but he felt he needed a break from them. _I need to tell them._ He thought. _No. I don't._ His rationalizing self argued. _After all, he's dead. What does it matter now? Because,_ his other half argued back,_ there's something wrong and you know it. Keeping this from them may be a bad idea, depending on what that something is._ Adam continued to argue with himself, one half of his brain saying it didn't matter because Darien was dead and the other saying it mattered anyway. He sighed and went down to the shore. He stopped for a moment to look at a pool of water in the sand. A child must have made it while playing there earlier. Looking into the water, Adam gasped. _How? Ugh! Damn it! Why does this always have to happen? I must have been a horrible person in a past life to deserve this._ He began the walk back, planning what to say to them when he got there.

Dan looked up as Adam walked through the door. "Hi. How's it go-" Adam held up his hand to silence him. Dan looked at him questioningly.

"Darien's alive." He said.


	9. He's Alive

"What do you mean, he's alive?" Asked a shocked Dan. Adam had just come in and told him that Darien, who they thought was left dead in the cave, was, indeed, alive. Adam sighed.

"He's not dead. Look, I'll explain, but let's get everyone together first." It was here that they heard shouts of protest coming from Tris's room. Adam gave a questioning look to Dan, who smiled.

"I think Lark just told her how she brought you back from the dead."

"Really? How?" Adam asked. _And why did it piss her off so much?_ He added silently. Dan just smiled broader and shook his head.

"Why don't you go and find out for yourself?" He asked him, mischievously, "After all, we do have to get her so you can fill us all in." He sighed, "Things are never easy for us are they?" Dan left the house to go find Daja, Briar, and Evvy.

"I don't know what you're talking about! Look, I respect your idea, it's a good theory, but I do not love A-" Tris paused as Adam came into her room. "Anyone." She amended. Turning to face him, she fixed him with a fierce glare. "What?" She demanded. He looked from Tris, who was furious, to Lark, who seemed totally worn down, and decided now may not be the best time to find out how exactly Tris revived him.

"I need to talk to everyone in the kitchen." He said. Tris sobered.

"Why do I have the feeling I'm not going to like this?" she asked as she pushed her way past him out the door.

When everyone was assembled, Adam made his announcement. Briar shook his head. "How come your announcements always seem to be life-threatening? Why can't you ever have an announcement where you tell us you bought a pony?" Adam glared at him.

"It's not my fault I always have to deliver the bad news." He answered mildly. "I just always seem to get it."

"Speaking of that," Dan said, "exactly how did you get it?" Adam sighed and gave a weak smile.

"Same way I got it last time." He replied, and tugged on his ear to indicate the gold earring inside of it, the same earring that had served as a connection between him and Jordan. Made with Jordan's own blood, the earring bound Adam and his magic to him. "First, I think there's something you should know about Darien. He's not another weird, random, guy hell-bent on our destruction." He paused, looking at the faces of those around him. "He's Jordan's only son." Again Adam paused, letting that statement sink in. He saw a fire light in Tris's eyes and continued again before she had the chance to say anything. "Jordan was teaching him the dark arts and training him to be his successor. To what I'm not totally sure, but if my eavesdropping gave me the right information, then he was trying to dominate the world. That was why he wanted to kill Liz and Dan. He found out that they were the only people who could-and would-stop him, when he got a vision while scrying. (A/N: I don't know if I gave a different reason for why he wanted to kill them in my last story, but if I did then I like this one better. I officially make this the reason)

Anyway, back to the topic at hand, Darien must be trying to avenge his father's death by killing us."

After a pause, Dan asked "This is all well and good, but what does your earring have to do with knowing Darien is alive?"

"The earring was made with Jordan's blood. It should have fallen out when he died but he had a son who shared his blood, so the earring lived on as well. As long as someone with Jordan's blood is alive, I'll keep the earring." He looked at them sheepishly. "I didn't say anything before because I didn't think Darien would do anything. Jordan may have been a great teacher, but he sucked as a father. I figured Darien would be glad to be rid of him. I'm sorry."

"You seem to be saying that a lot lately, don't you?" Evvy asked him with an edge to her voice. Adam looked down.

"Evvy, stop." Briar said tiredly.

"No, Pahan Briar. I will not stop. He's gotten us into more trouble than he's worth. If he told us about this Darien of his, then-"

"Then what?" Tris demanded sharply. "What would you have done if you knew Jordan had a son? Killed him? Guilty by association, is that it? I'd think after living on the streets you'd have a better idea of how justice shouldn't be doled out like that. Or haven't you ever been caught near a gang that got busted, and gotten into trouble yourself just because you were near them and looked like them?"

"That's different." Evvy protested. "And how dare you bring that up! My past is none of your business, so get your filthy neb out of it!"

"It's not different." Tris countered, apparently keeping her 'filthy neb' right where it was. "Just because Darien was Jordan's son wouldn't have necessarily meant he was evil. We couldn't have gone after him on such a flimsy motive."

Evvy looked down, clearly embarrassed as well as furious. Briar cleared his throat and elbowed her gently. She murmured an angry apology and left. Briar sighed and shook his head. "Skirts!" He said.

"Thanks." Adam whispered to Tris. She didn't look him in the eye, just glared at the table.

"No. She had no right. That was totally closed minded and out-of-line." She told him. True, she did honestly believe that, but she had been defending Adam. _Why do I do that?_ She questioned herself. _I don't love him. I really don't._ But even she didn't believe it anymore.

"No! You can't! I…I forbid you to go!"

"You, what?" Daja asked a stuttering Kirel. She had just told him she was going to face Darien again. He hadn't taken it very well.

"Th-that's right." Kirel said, trying to be confident. "I-I for-b-bid you to go." Daja gave him a lopsided grin.

"Somehow, that doesn't sound so formidable when you stutter." She told him. Kirel's shoulder's sagged and he dropped his eyes.

"Please?" He pleaded. He looked up again at her face. "You've already done this once. Do you really have to do it again? I mean, Gods Daja! How many times are you going to risk your life before it's enough?"

"And if I don't?" She asked him softly, "What then? I'll tell you what." She said, not waiting for his reply, "Then Darien comes for me instead. For us. Then I really am dead. I won't stand a chance. At least this way we have the element of surprise." Kirel sighed and hugged Daja to his chest.

"Yet another fight I'll never win." He looked down at her, "Just for reference, will I ever win with you?"

She shook her head, making her many braids fly. "Not if I have anything to do with it." She said.

"Then it should make for an interesting battle." He told her, leaning in for a kiss.

*And I jump to a new scene before I get stuck writing kissing fluff!*

Tris sat on the edge of her bed, holding her head in her hands. She didn't notice Adam until he slipped his arm around her and pulled her to him. "Shhhh." He said, rubbing her back. Tris sniffed.

"How did you know I was crying?" She asked him.

"I felt it." He told her. She nodded, not questioning it.

"I meditated." She told him. "I tried to go out on the wind. I didn't mean to…it was automatic." She looked up at him. "It's gone." She said through tear-stained eyes. "My magic. It's gone."

"No." Adam countered sternly. "It is not gone. It's just a bit…misplaced." Tris gave a rueful laugh.

"And a lot of good it does me to be either." She told him.

"Look," He said, looking her in the eye, "if there was a way to get your magic away from you, then there's a way to get it back. We just have to find it. And we will." He added when she opened her mouth to protest. "We have Niko working on it right now." She just shook her head in disbelief and melted back into his form.

Author's Note: Okay, listen up. Darien COULDN'T DIE. He still has Tris's magic and it would have died with him if he had. I just CAN'T leave Tris without her magic. Now, does everyone understand? It's not me being soft this time (though I'm tempted to be…) I actually have to keep him alive. At least for a little while. *Joe smiles as he sharpens his knives and daggers and shoves the sword (which he finally found) back under the bed*

Joe: *putting away all sharp objects* Hey Alice. *wink* Happy "Day-After-Thanksgiving"

Me: I thought you boycotted all holidays cuz they brought happiness?

Joe: *looking at me fiercely* Shut-up! Can't you see I'm in the middle of something?

Me: *rolls eyes*


	10. Power Switch

"I've got it!" exclaimed a haggard looking Niko as he burst through the door of Discipline. Lark took him over to the table as Rosethorn poured him some tea. He thanked them absently and took out a sheaf of papers and dropped them on the table. "You're lucky you know." He told them. "You've got the key to the spell living in this cottage. The spell is complicated, intricate. Besides needing to spell out in runes and symbols every equation, person, and thing involved, you need a link. Something that connects the two people, in this case those two are Trisana and Darien. That "something" in our case, is Adam. He's bound by blood to Darien and by Magic to Tris." Here Briar (who had run into the room with everyone else as soon as they'd heard Niko's exclamation) interrupted.

"But he's not bound to Tris by magic anymore. Darien has her magic, so isn't he just bound to Darien again?" Niko shook his head.

"Tris's magic is Tris's magic. It is uniquely hers, it's as much a part of her as her arms and legs. The fact that it's in Darien's control doesn't mean it's not hers. It just means she can't shape it." He explained. Tris thought back to the night that Darien had held her captive. When he had made her watch a lightning bolt, formed with her power, fly at her friends. Adam in particular. She remembered being so afraid and willing it to just not strike them. And it had veered at the last second.

"So there's hope?" She asked, obviously wanting it to be true. Niko smiled and nodded.

"There is hope." He told her. She nodded, as if that gesture made it fact.

"Okay then. How do we do it?"

HOURS LATER…

Though she was anxious to get her magic back, Tris found herself shaking. She took Adam's hand for comfort and he gave her a quick glance as he felt her shaking hands clasp his own steady ones. "It's going to be okay." He told her softly. She didn't say anything, just held his hand tighter. Sparks lit in Adam's eyes that anyone, especially Darien, could make Tris feel this way. He was used to Tris being hard as steel, but as soon as Darien came into the picture the steel turned to water. But Darien would pay. He would make sure of that. Tris's shakes got worse as they got closer to the cave. By the time they got to the entrance she could barely stand and tears were running down her face. Daja's face hardened. "It's a spell. He put up a barrier spell so that she can't get in." She turned to Tris who was being supported by Dan and Adam. "Tris hunny. It's a spell. Darien put up a spell to keep you out. Only you can break it. You have to conquer this fear you have. It's not real. Darien put it there. But you can take it out. I know you can. You're the strongest person I've ever met merchant-girl, and I won't believe for one moment that you'd let him keep this hold on you." Tris heard Daja's words and somewhere deep inside, they penetrated. She started to fight the overwhelming fear that threatened to tear her apart. Daja continued to coax her and encourage her. Finally, Tris broke the spell and a renewed fury burned from within her.

"Let's go." She growled, leading the way inside. She didn't really know how to find him, but she didn't care. She just let herself feel her way around, turning where she felt drawn to turn, letting her intuition-or maybe it was something else-guide her. Finally she saw a light. She stopped to collect the group. "Ready?" She asked, her voice barely a whisper. They all nodded. Daja and Briar worked up a shield to hide their presence from Darien. Together, they stepped towards the entrance to the chamber. Darien was sitting at a desk, writing in a book. Evvy closed her eyes and the rock behind him flowed like water to encompass his form.

"Wha-?" Darien looked down at the liquid rock flowing around him. It hardened and Daja and Briar dropped their shield, revealing their presence. If Darien was surprised, he didn't show it. Instead a bolt of electricity shot at them, only to fly to side at the last second. Brief confusion shadowed his face before he regained his composure. Tris stayed in front of him as the others went to around him to write the runes and symbols needed for the spell. She managed to deflect a few more attacks he attempted. He glared at her. She smiled sweetly at him. "I don't know what you're up to wench, but don't think for a minute you can stop me." Adam practically lunged at him, but Briar caught him in the air and threw him back on the ground, pinning him there. Adam glared at him, but Briar met his glare with his own. _Let her deal with it!_ He mind-spoke to him. Adam gave him one last glare before giving up. 

__

Fine! He mind-spoke back, _But I don't know how long I can control myself._ Briar smiled at him.

__

That's what I'm here for. He said, earning another vicious glare.

"Wench?" Tris asked him. "I hardly think you're in a position to be calling me names and making threats." Tris was secretly amazed that Darien could still look so condescending while he was imprisoned in rock.

"What are you going to do?" He asked in a mocking tone, "Talk me to death? I have your power now. There's nothing you can do. Sooner or later that child will lose her hold on this spell, and I'll break free. And then I'll really be able to hurt you. I won't play around this time." Tris slapped him, not noticing that Adam was struggling furiously to break free of Briar's hold on him. Briar finally wrestled him to the ground and lay on top of him while holding his arm behind his back, using his leverage and body weight to keep him down.

"Have you forgotten my friends? Briar there could slit your throat. Evvy could make this cave crash down over only your skull. Elizabeth and Dan could flood it, and make sure the water rose to cover only your head. Daja could pull the metal out of this rock and hurl it at you until she cracks that thick head of yours in two. Don't tempt me to let them do it." Tris had said these words in such a cold, cruel tone, that the rest of her friends started to worry if maybe she was serious about it. Darien just laughed.

"Please. You don't have it in you. If you wanted me dead you would have already had me killed. Don't play games with me, I'm much better at them." He told her.

"Done." Daja announced. Tris didn't waste any more time or energy talking to Darien, instead she stood on the other side of the room while Adam took his place between both Darien and her. Tris started to speak the spell. Darien's eyes opened wide.

"What are you doing? No! Stop! You can't!" Tris ignored his desperate voice and continued to say the words, getting progressively louder until she was shouting. Her voice bounced off the walls, seeming to come from everywhere at once. Tris screamed the last word of the spell and saw a glowing blue color shoot from Darien to strike Adam, who let out a yelp before the power coursed through him into Tris. Tris fell to her knees, feeling as if someone was stabbing her over and over again. She heard someone scream and didn't know whether the voice was hers, Adam's, or Darien's. Electric blue light played all over her body, slowly seeping into her pores and submerging itself deep within the core of her being. Tris lost track of time. It could have been seconds or hours before the pain stopped, but eventually it did. She looked up, feeling whole for the first time in days. Adam was crumpled on the floor, but alive. Darien was alive too, and enraged.

"How DARE you! How did you find that spell? When I break free of this, I'm going to-" He was cut off by a sharp punch to the face that caused his head to snap back. Tris towered over him, powerful and furious, seeming like a hurricane about to unleash itself on him. Unwillingly, he shrank from her (or at least tried to, as he was still trapped in his rock prison).

"Why?" She asked, her voice barely above a whisper and yet as cold as a blizzard and cruel as that of a torturer.

"Why?" He repeated, no longer daunted by her. "To prove, once and for all, that I was the better mage. The better man. I worked hard, all my life, trying to please him. But all he had to offer was criticism." He spat the last word out as if it left a bitter taste in his mouth. "I didn't do this good enough, that could have been better, I should have done it this way. Never, I see you've been working hard, nice work, you did that well.

And then you two came along." He said, trying to turn to face Dan and Elizabeth. "He was obsessed with bringing you down. But he wasn't careful enough, he didn't use the caution he would reprimand me for not using. I figured that if I could do it, then that punishment for him for not using caution would be worse than the rod I got for it. And I decided that I'd even do him one better. Instead of just taking them, I'd take all of you. And I almost did. And I will yet." He told them ominously.

"Well," Tris said, "I believe you need to practice your caution a bit more, because you need to use it in your words as well as in your actions. I'm not about to let you hurt us again." At this, Tris began speaking a new spell. Darien's eyes widened in horror.

"NOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" He yelled. The others watched in shock as Darien's power floated out of him and into Tris. When it was over Tris looked up at them and ordered Evvy to release Darien.

"He's no longer harmful." She told her. Evvy did as she was told, eyeing Tris with a certain degree of fear.

Tris led them all out of the cave as Darien sat in a ball on the ground, weeping like a baby. 

Author's Note: This IS NOT THE END!!!!!!!!! I was just hit with a great idea. And for anyone who didn't get it, Tris just took Darien's magic away from him and took it for herself, just like he had done to her before. *evil grin* Wait till you see what I'm going to do to them next. 

Joe: *happy sigh* I'm finally getting through to her.

Eve of Mirkwood: You keep me going! I can't thank you enough!


	11. The New Tris?

After they had walked for a while in silence, Briar finally asked the question that they were all thinking. "Tris, why did you do that? How could you take his magic like that?" Tris stopped, clearly shocked.

"He did the same to me." She said, as if it were obvious. Briar eyed her seriously.

"That's not an excuse." He told her. Tris opened her mouth to protest, but he kept going, "No. Let me finish." She shut her mouth and crossed her arms, waiting angrily. "Look Tris, I hate that guy just as much as you do. I want him punished too. But not like that. You know what it's like to have your magic ripped from you. Niko said that magic is just as much a part of someone as their arms or legs. You took that part of him away, part of who he is. No one deserves that. Not even him."

"Finished?" Tris asked in an impatient tone. Briar nodded. "You have no right to tell me what he does or doesn't deserve." Tris told him evenly. "He held me captive, not you. I know what went on and how hard it was to go through, so trust me when I say he deserved all that and more. Now, if you'll excuse me." Tris began walking faster but Briar grabbed her arm, or at least he tried to. His hand went through it.

"An illusion!" He fumed. "Trisana Chandler, when I get my hands on you!" Briar screamed, threateningly. "I can't believe she'd do that!" He told the rest of them before stalking off in the direction of Discipline cottage.

When Tris awoke the next morning, she was met with an angry glare from Briar and the rest of them refusing to meet her glance. She rolled her eyes. "Oh get over it thief-boy." She told him.

"I will not get over it. That was totally un-called for, not to mention immature!" He informed her. Tris gave an exasperated sigh.

"Oh please." She said in a bored tone. "You're just mad because I pulled it off and you didn't even see it coming."

"That's not true, you had no right." Briar told her, though he blushed furiously.

"Mm-hmm." She agreed sarcastically, beginning to eat her food. Briar glared at her as if he could make her fly out the window with the look before attacking his own plate.

"Hey." Adam said, greeting Tris outside after breakfast. She looked at him and smiled.

"Hey yourself." She answered back. Adam looked at her strangely. "What?" She asked.

"You've never greeted me warmly before. Not even after I came back from the dead. What gives?" She just smiled even more warmly at him.

"Nothing!" She said innocently. Then she sighed and looked down. "Well…maybe not nothing." She looked up at him again, sobered. "Look Adam, I have to tell you something." He eyed her seriously and waited for her to begin. "I've tried to fight it…Green Man knows I've tried. But I can't, so I figure I'd better just get out in the open, once and for all. I…I…I love you." He looked at her in shock and surprise. (A/N: is anyone else seeing John Edwards, the medium? Okay, never mind) He wouldn't have believed her if she hadn't looked so serious. "Well, say something!" She said, wringing her hands and looking extremely nervous. Adam stepped forward to kiss her, only to go right through her. He looked up in confusion and heard laughter. The Tris that had been in front of him a moment ago was gone. Instead another Tris-the real Tris-dropped down from a tree, laughing hysterically. Adam glared at her.

"Another of your illusions?" He asked. She nodded, still laughing. "It's not funny. I can't believe you'd do that. I knew you didn't like me, but I didn't think you really hated me. Obviously I was wrong." He told her, then stalked off. Tris stopped laughing. She felt a little guilty about that. _Why?_ She asked herself. _He's just overreacting. Let it go._

Adam went back into the house to get a book so he could go read outside, to clear his head and get away from what just happened. He met Sandry in the kitchen. "Hi!" She greeted him cheerfully, smiling. But the smile soon faded when she saw his red eyes. "What happened?" He just pointed to the door, trying to get himself under control.

"Ask her." He said. "Apparently she decided that it would be fun to toy with my feelings." He looked at Sandry. "You know, I don't know what I saw in her?" He told her seriously before going into his room. Sandry stood for a moment in the kitchen before exiting the room and going outside where she found Tris walking around the garden.

"What's going on?" She asked her.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Tris answered her, not looking up. Sandry put her hands on her hips and used her best noble voice.

"You know very well what I mean Tris and you'd better spit it out. What did you do to Adam?" Tris ignored her. "You aren't acting like yourself lately." Sandry continued, sounding concerned. "Briar told me you used an illusion on him yesterday when he tried to talk to you."

"You mean tried to lecture me." Tris remarked. Sandry ignored her.

"Now Adam comes into contact with you and you send him away crying. What's going on?" Sandry demanded, using her noble voice again. Tris sighed.

"They're overreacting. All I did was pull a few pranks.'' She laughed. "I actually got Adam to kiss me. The gullible little git." Sandry stood shocked at these words. (A/N: My, a lot of people are shocked in this story aren't they?)

"I don't know what's going on with you Tris, but I don't like it. It's just not you." Sandry told her. Tris finally looked into her eyes. Sandry almost took a step back when she saw the icy glare they held.

"It is me Lady Sandrilene, so you'd better get used to it." Sandry forced herself to hold Tris's gaze.

"I'd rather not get used to it Trisana Chandler-" Sandry was cut off by the fierce look Tris gave her.

"Never call me that." Tris said, her voice deadly. Before Sandry could react, she shot a lighting bolt at her. It struck her skirt and set it on fire. Sandry quickly stamped it out. She glanced at her friend before forcing her clothes to tie themselves in such a way as to bind her arms to her sides. It didn't work. Sandry looked confusedly at Tris, who flickered quickly and vanished. _She got away!_ Sandry thought.

Sandry went up to the roof to think. She met Briar there. "There is something seriously wrong with Tris." She told him seriously (A/N: A lot of people are serious in this chapter too) before relaying what Tris had done to her a moment before. "Close your mouth Briar." She told him absently, as his jaw had dropped when she told him the story. He stood and began to walk towards the entrance. "Stop right there Briar Moss." Sandry ordered. "I know that look and there's nothing you can do. I don't even know where she went. Besides, what would you do? She could just set up an illusion and vanish on you without your even detecting it." Briar sat down again. He shook his head in frustration.

"I wish I knew what happened to her. I just don't get it." He said.

Author's Note: How about you guys? Do you guys know? I bet you do, I don't think I hide these things very well. Oh well, that's okay. I'll live.I don't know if Tris will though. I think everyone's just about ready to murder her. (Don't worry, they won't).

Joe: I'm proud of her. Everyone should tap into their pyro side every now and again. You go girl! Get that noble!

Me: Ignore him. He hasn't had his ridillin (spelling?) yet Better yet, Review! (Okay, reviewing has nothing to do with ignoring Joe, but do it anyway. Please?)

Eve of Mirkwood: Thanks again. I'm glad you review and you're right about how not getting reviews makes a person want to stop writing. I'll definitely read your friends story and review it.


	12. They Just Can't Get Rid of Him!

Adam sat under a tree, reading his book. He tried to concentrate on it, but just couldn't. Finally giving up, he closed the book and sat back against the tree's rough bark. He sighed. _Why? That's all I want to know Tris. Why? Did I ever do anything to you? Hurt you in some way? Anything?_ Adam didn't send the thought out to her, but kept it in his head. They were rhetorical questions and he sat wondering about them until something interrupted his thoughts. He heard the yell before he saw the man. Darien came running at him with an axe in his hands. He threw it with all his might at Adam, who managed to throw himself to the side just in time. He got up and tackled Darien to the ground.

"Are you mad?!" He demanded once he had him pinned. "I'm a freaking mage! You're going to attack me with an axe? What the bloody hell is wrong with you?" (A/N: I just saw Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets last night. Don't mind the "bloody hell" thing)

"Give it back!" Darien cried. "Give me my magic back!"

"Even if I wanted to I couldn't." Adam informed him. "It's not mine to give back. You know very well that I don't have it."

"Of course I do. Yes…yes…I know that…I do…" Darien muttered and then quieted. Adam got off him and hauled Darien to his feet, keeping his arms firmly locked behind his back.

"It's not like you don't deserve it." He informed him. "After everything you pulled, you should have gotten off worse than you did. I suggest you deal with it, and in a healthier way than by attacking me with a deadly weapon. And here I've not even done anything to you."

Darien pulled away from him. "Oh I'll deal with it. I'll deal with it just fine. By getting my power back and killing that little wench!" And he took off at a run. Adam didn't even bother following him.

"That boy's lost his mind." He said, thinking out-loud. And he was right.

"He what?" Elizabeth asked when Adam told her what Darien had done to him.

"I know." He answered her. "I couldn't believe it either. It's not like him to act so rash. I think he went insane after Tris took his magic from him." He confessed, honestly. 

Elizabeth shook her head, "I can't believe it. First Tris, now Darien. Will it never end?"

"Tris? I know she's being rude," He said, thinking that must be the understatement of the year, "but she's hardly up there with Darien." Elizabeth looked at him strangely for a moment before she gasped.

"You don't know, do you?" She asked.

"Know what?" Adam was curious now. Elizabeth told him about Sandry's encounter with Tris. He was shocked.

"She set fire to Sandry?" He asked, his face contorted in disbelief and anger. "I can't believe I liked her." _Well, loved her._ He amended to himself bitterly. 

Elizabeth looked at him, searching his face for something. Finally she said, "Maybe you should talk to her." Adam looked at her in alarm. "Well, you seem to connect with her." She said, defending her statement. Adam shook his head.

"I can't. Not after what she said. I can't."

Elizabeth looked at him pleadingly. "Adam, please. You saved her once, can't you try to do it one more time?" Adam sighed. Liz had struck a cord with him. Finally he gave a grudging nod.

"I'll try, but I can't promise you anything." He told her. Elizabeth hugged him in thanks and went off, leaving him to decide how to approach Tris. _Guess there's no other way except the direct approach._

Tris sat in her room, reading, when she heard someone knocking on her door.

"What?" She demanded, annoyed at having been interrupted. Adam came in. She glared fiercely at him. "I didn't tell you to come in." She informed him forcefully. He looked at her nervously.

"Tris can we talk? And please, don't pull a disappearing act on me. I need to talk to you, not your image. It's important." Tris stopped. She had been in the middle of setting up just such an illusion, but something in Adam's eyes stopped her. She sighed.

"Fine. But make it quick."

"Tris, what's going on? You were never like this. You were always a little afraid of your magic, and now you're attacking Sandry with it." Tris rolled her eyes.

"And? What's your point? So I have a little more confidence in my abilities now, why are you all mad about that? I'm just not afraid anymore." She told him.

"But you're hurting people!" Adam protested. "Sandry has kept you alive on more than one occasion and you tried to torch her! You could have killed her! Don't you get it?" He asked her.

"Sandry isn't stupid Adam! She wasn't about to let herself go up in flames, besides it's not like I meant to hit her, I was just trying to scare her a little and it got away from me. That's to be expected when one acquires new powers." She said.

"But why would you want to scare her in the first place? She's Sandry! She'd never do anything to offend you or hurt you."

"She called me Trisana Chandler. Only my family called me that." It sounded lame even to her ears. Sure, Tris's family was a major sore spot, but that was still no excuse to do that. Sandry was closer to Tris than her real family had ever been. "Oh gods." She sighed. "What's going on with me? Adam, I'm so sorry. About…about everything." She said, and she meant it. She was sorry about everything she'd been doing and saying lately, but there was also a specific apology in there for him. He found it. Adam put his arms around her and pulled her close again.

"It's okay. I understand." He told her.

"I don't know what's wrong." She confessed. "This isn't me." Adam nodded.

"I know. But we'll find out what it is. In the mean time, try to stay away heavily wooded areas, okay?" He asked jokingly. She smacked his arm in a playful reproach.

Author's Note: Okay, I'll think of something to put in to keep this story breathing a little longer, but it might take a little while. I think I might have something, as long as I'm careful not to let Rosethorn and Lark in on Tris's odd behavior. I think they'd know what was wrong, and I can't have that happen until I'm ready to end it.

Eve of Mirkwood: Okay, I give up! I got as far as pdsw, but then I got stuck. Care to translate the rest for me?


	13. Back in Action

Darien showed no expression as he slit the wrist of the mage in front of him. "A little blood to strengthen the spell." He explained, ignoring the man's panicked screams. He then began the spell that would give him the man's magic. When it was over the mage lay dead on the floor, lying in a pool of his own blood. Darien cleaned up without emotion. _Soon I'll be back, and stronger than ever._ He thought, then went out in search for another mage.

"Lark? Can we talk?" Tris asked.

"Of course dear, come in." Lark said. Tris entered Lark's workshop and sat down in the chair she was offered. "What's wrong?"

Tris sighed. "Me. Lately I've been acting very…wrong. I've been using my magic in all the wrong ways. I don't mean to, it just happens." 

"What do you mean that you're using your magic wrong?" Lark inquired.

"I've been hurting people with it. I set up illusions that fooled Briar and Adam and also ended up hurting them. And I accidentally set fire to Sandry." She admitted, shamefaced.

"Illusions?" Lark asked, confused (and choosing to ignore the fact that she Sandry afire). "You don't have illusionary magic."

"Oh, that." Tris said, blushing at having left out such an important part of the story. "I took Darien's magic from him so that he couldn't use it to hurt anyone."

"Oh no. You didn't?" Lark asked, distressed. Tris regarded her oddly.

"Yes. Why? What's wrong?" She asked. Lark sighed.

"Darien used his magic for evil purposes, and thereby tainted it. If you take tainted magic, you can't shape it to your will completely. It will do evil whether you want it to or not. You have to get rid of it." She told her. Tris looked at her, horrified.

"I can't do that again. That was awful!" She protested. Lark looked at her sympathetically.

"I know. It is an awful process to take magic away from someone but you must do it. Otherwise you'll keep hurting people. It won't be too bad, though. The magic hasn't gotten a real chance to connect to you yet, so it won't be as hard to get it to disconnect." 

Tris sighed and gave a grudging nod. She knew Lark was right and so prepared herself for the horrible feeling of having a part of her sucked out again.

When Adam came home, he was distressed. The animals in the forest had been saying strange things about a man killing other men and taking their light. He knew that to animals, magic looked like a light inside people. That meant that somewhere close by someone was stealing magic from other mages and murdering them. He was afraid of who it might be.

When he came inside, he saw Tris sitting at the table with a cup of tea in her hands. She was pale and shaking a little.

"Tris? What's wrong?" He asked fearfully, "You look like you have a fever." She shook her head and he relaxed a bit.

"Lark took Darien's magic away from me." She explained. "It was why I was hurting everyone. It was tainted." She said, spitting the last word out bitterly. Adam looked at her guiltily.

"Then you're really not going to like what I have to tell you all." He said. Tris looked up at him.

"Another 'announcement'?" She asked. Adam nodded. "And I'll guess it's still not that you bought a pony?" He blushed and nodded again. She sighed. "I'll get everyone." She offered.

"No, I will." Adam said. "You rest." Tris glared at him.

"I'm not going to break you know." She informed him. He just laughed and left.

When everyone (this time including Sandry) was sitting around the table again, Adam told them all what the animals had told him.

"You don't think…?" Elizabeth asked, leaving the question unfinished.

"I don't know." He replied. "It could be that Darien is back, but it could also be someone else. Although it does seem like an awfully big coincidence."

"We just can't get rid of him can we?" Briar said, frustrated. "He's like a stray dog we fed and can't get rid of! No offense to you little bear" He said, assuring their huge dog they had taken off the streets he meant nothing bad of him. 

"He says none taken." Adam remarked absently. (A/N: Sorry! I totally forgot about little bear! Let's just say he's been there the whole time, he just wasn't a significant part of the story. Okay?)

"We have to find him." Dan said firmly. "If it is him, then I'd rather get him now, before his power grows any more, then later when there's no way we can beat him."

"And what if it's not?" Sandry asked. "Hasn't he been put through enough? I mean, I know he's an appalling man, but how long until we can leave him in peace?"

"If it's not him then we have no reason to hurt him and we won't. But if it is, then we'd better do something now rather than later." Elizabeth explained.

"Right then. Let's go." Adam said. Sandry shook her head.

"I'm not going. I can't do this to him without sufficient evidence that he's guilty. Besides," She added with a small smile, "who's going to save you guys when you get yourselves into major trouble?"

"Me." Evvy said. Everyone looked at her. "Well, I've saved you all every other time." She said defensively.

"You just can't let it go, can you?" Briar asked her with mock annoyance. She just rolled her eyes at him as they left for that all-too-familiar path in the woods.

Author's Note: Changed my mind! Lark can know what happened to Tris. I found something better to move the story along.


	14. The Final Encounter

The seven friends walked down the path in the woods they had taken so many times before. The only difference was that this time they didn't feel a sense of impending doom. They were sick of Darien and determined to do away with him, once and for all, if this was him. And they all believed it was. As they approached the entrance of the cave, they steeled themselves for what might happen when they entered. Taking a quick glance at each other for support, they entered the familiar rocky chamber.

They made their way through the cave's dark passages as quietly as possible. Soon they saw the wavering glow ahead that indicated a candle or torch-lit chamber. Carefully, they crept to the entrance and peeked in. It was empty.

Perhaps it was their determination to get this over with or maybe it was just foolishness that made them step into the light so soon. Either way, the seven found themselves surrounded by a solid wall of magic, watching Darien step out from the shadows. There was no laughter this time, as there had been on other occasions; just a cold stare that could have turned your bones to ice. He carefully regarded each person, all of them seemingly frozen in place, petrified by his glare. (A/N: isn't that a delightful little play on words? Petrified as in scared and as in frozen. I'm brilliant! *Joe starts laughing hysterically in background*). However, one of them was not. Tris was far past being scared by this man anymore. She wasn't stupid either, though. She'd already made one mistake in coming into the room too soon, she wasn't about to make another by alerting Darien to the fact that he had no effect on her. Instead she pretended to be scared as well while, at the same time, she sent a desperate message to Sandry. **Sandry! We're caught. It is Darien and we walked straight into his trap. We need you magic-** Tris's message was cut off. _Damn magic wall,_ she cursed.

"Hope you like things hot." Darien said. He twisted his wrist as if he were turning a doorknob, paused, and left.

Evvy, Briar, Elizabeth, Dan, Daja, Tris, and Adam started to feel slightly warm. Tris's mouth was set in a grim line. "A heat spell." She informed them. "This magic…thing is going to keep getting hotter and hotter until our bodies can't handle it. We'll end up bursting into flame. If we're lucky we'll just explode. If we're not, we'll burn to death. It's an illegal spell." True to his nature, Dan began to panic. He ran at the wall in a desperate attempt to get out, but Tris grabbed him just in time. "No! Hit that thing, and it'll seer your skin right off!" Dan looked horrified. Tris let him go and sat down on the ground to think. She'd be damned if she was going to end this way, and at Darien's hands. She put her head in her hands and looked down at the ground. Her eye caught something hanging from her neck. It was the necklace she had made as a prototype for the ones she made her friends for Sunborn. The necklace was supposed to amplify her power. Everyone here had the same necklace on. She looked up.

"I have a plan." She said. Everyone looked at her, a slight gleam of hope in their eyes now. She pulled out her necklace to show them all. "Maybe if we use these, we can break a hole in this wall. We won't be able to break the spell entirely, but we can put a tear in it. I sent a message to Sandry before Darien cut off our connection to her, but I doubt she can break through this spell. It's too tightly woven. If we put a rip in it, though, she might be able to unravel it." The others took a moment to absorb this and quickly conceded.

They picked a spot for them all to concentrate on. Joining hands, they linked their magic-amplified by their pendants-to that of everyone else until it became one large blur of power. All together they lunged at the appointed spot, continuing to drive at it and press against it until they had burned a hole in it. They continued to burn a hole until they were too drained to make a difference anymore. The spell was strong and needed a lot of magic to make just a small difference.

Tris checked to see if they had torn a big enough hole that she could talk to Sandry again. She couldn't. She just hoped it was big enough for Sandry to do something with. And that Sandry hadn't already tried and failed and, if she had, she would try again anyway.

Sandry slammed her fist down on the table. She'd gotten a frantic message from Tris a little while ago. Apparently they'd fallen into a trap and Darien had them. Unfortunately, even with their string Sandry couldn't get through his layer of spells that held her friends captive. She cursed them a thousand times over for not being careful when they knew the danger that might await them. She cursed herself for staying home. And then she realized what little help cursing anyone was and thought about how to save them instead.

Clearing her mind, Sandry entered a meditation. She let her mind open up, the way she had been taught to do when she didn't have the time to think of a solution to a magical problem. A light formed before her eyes. At first she thought it was star, but she saw that a chain bound it. Slowly, the light dimmed and Sandry could see the outline of a rock. It took her a minute to figure out what it was. She hadn't worn Tris's necklace since the night of her uncle's ball. She was uncomfortable with how powerful it made her feel. Now she remembered it and knew she needed it.

Necklace on and string in hand, Sandry tried again. She felt like a goddess herself, like she held an unending well of power. She spread herself over the dome of spells, looking for the openings where she could unlock them. Needless to say she was quite surprised when she fell through a hole that went straight through all of them. Using this, Sandry pulled her power in as tight as she could and then let it out in a sharp blast that, if she had done it correctly, burned the spell dome away. _I hope that did it._ Sandry thought, making the slow trip back to her body.

Tris was fanning herself, trying to ignore the heat surrounding her, when she was pushed flat on the ground by some sort of force. It was magical, by the feel of it, and Tris immediately recognized it as Sandry's. When she could breathe again, Tris got up and walked hesitantly over to the spell barrier. It was gone. She whirled to face her friends. "We're free." She told them, hardly believing it herself. Dan immediately began to cry and kiss the ground, all the time whispering "free, we're free". Elizabeth lifted him up.

"We've still got to deal with Darien." She said gently, expecting Dan to break down again. Instead his face went hard as steel and he tensed up with his fists clenched.

"Then let's go. It's about time he got what's coming to him." He said, his voice cold and cruel. Elizabeth almost shrank from that voice, but nodded instead. It was about time he got what was coming to him.

"And this time," Said Briar, "we'll be ready for him."

Together they walked down the stone halls, sending their magic out in subtle waves ahead of them to detect any presence. They turned where they felt drawn to turn and gradually found themselves walking deeper and deeper into the cave's rocky depths.

*clink* (A/N: That's not supposed to be capitalized. It's a soft sound)

The group froze. Sending their magic out again, they pulled it back when they began to feel the presence in the next room. They wove a protective spell around themselves. One that would protect them from a number of assaults as well as keep them invisible.

Cautiously they peered into the room. Darien was there, scribbling in a book and taking an occasional sip of wine. They backed out of the doorway and talked telepathically to each other, not daring to use their voices lest Darien should hear. (A/N: Yes, that was the actual phrase that came to mind when I went to write that. I'm probably the only person in the world who thinks of "lest" before "unless" or "just in case".)

****

Now what? Elizabeth asked. There was a pause.

****

We need to take his magic again. For good this time. From Tris.

****

Trisana Chandler if you think for one minute that I'm going to let you- Tris cut off Briar's angry reply with one of her own.

Hush thief-boy, I learn from my mistakes. And don't call me Trisana. Anyway, as I was going to say, I'm not going to keep it this time. And neither are any of you. We're going to release it into the earth. In time the earth will purify it so it's usable again. But we can't let him go on having it and I won't kill him. He deserves much worse than death and I'm going to take every cent of what he owes. Believe me when I say he'd rather be dead than magic-less. 

Another pause.

****

Well, how do we do it? Briar asked. Tris gave an inward sigh of relief. So Briar would do it after all. She explained the spell to them and they helped her to set it up. When it was ready, they set up a binding spell around Darien. When it was done, they activated it.

Darien's eyes flew wide open. He couldn't move and he looked genuinely pissed off about it. The four waited a few minutes anyway. If he had any way to get out of the spell, he would do it soon. He didn't. After checking the room with their magic for any spells to be used against them and finding none, they lowered their shield and stepped into the light.

No traps this time. Nothing. He hadn't expected them to make it past his heat spell and hadn't bothered to protect this room. Darien glared daggers at them but they ignored it. Joining hands again, the seven began the incantation that would take Darien's magic from him once and for all.

When it was over, Darien looked ready to let them all suffer a slow, agonizing death. To be safe, they kept the binding spell on him and carried him back to Winding Circle.

"So, we dropped him off at the Water Temple." Tris finished the story of their final encounter with Darien. "They've got him locked up and guarded. He went mad…again."

Briar snorted. "Like he ever got his sanity back in the first place?"

"Good point." Dan said with an almost sad smile.

"Anyway, I'm just glad it's all over." Tris said with a contented sigh. 

Elizabeth shook her head. "It's never over. This is just a vacation." She said.

"Here here!" Dan said raising his glass in a toast.

"May it never end!" Briar added. Everyone looked at him. "Hey, a guy can dream." He defended himself.

Author's Note: The end!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Finally! Man was that story dragging or what? Oh well, it's done now. Hope you liked it and sorry I didn't update in SOOOOO long. I got lazy and then I got overwhelmed with school stuff *mutters about stupid teachers making her go to school the day before Christmas Eve* Anyway, here's your Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanza/Rammadan etc… present. THE END OF THIS BLOODY THING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! btw, sorry for any spelling errors. Every time I started to re-read it to check it, I got interrupted and couldn't get to finishing the writing part. So I quit the re-reading. Again, hope you liked the story. Joe's throwing a "Thank Goodness This Thing Finally Ended May She Never Write Again" party if you want to come.

Joe: *Dancing and singing in celebration*

Me: I'll put another story up some time, hopefully soon. It'll be original but I re-use Dan and Elizabeth. They're actually have totally different personalities and different appearances though. (Dan is totally different but the only difference in Elizabeth is that she has green eyes)


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